St. Francis Hospital & Heart Center® Named Center of Excellence in Pancreatic Cancer

Catholic Health’s St. Francis Hospital & Heart Center® has been recognized as an NPF Center of Excellence in Pancreatic Cancer by the National Pancreas Foundation in recognition of its holistic, multidisciplinary treatment of pancreatic cancer, providing the best possible outcomes and an improved quality of life. 

“We are honored St. Francis Hospital has been designated as an NPF Center of Excellence in Pancreatic Cancer,” said Charles Lucore, MD, MBA, president of St. Francis Hospital & Heart Center®. “At St. Francis, we are dedicated to treating the whole patient—physically, mentally and spiritually—not just the illness. This NPF Center designation is a reflection of that commitment to providing comprehensive, compassionate care. When a patient enters St. Francis Hospital, they are in the best possible hands.”

To achieve NPF Center of Excellence accreditation, St. Francis Hospital & Heart Center® underwent a rigorous auditing process developed by a task force composed of pancreas disease clinicians and patient advocates. The criteria include having on-site physician specialists (including gastroenterologists, pancreatic surgeons and interventional radiologists), and offering patient-focused programs.

“We are thrilled to expand our NPF Centers of Excellence Program to better serve the needs of patients suffering from pancreas disease,” said Sokphal Tun, program director of the National Pancreas Foundation. “The NPF Centers of Excellence Program is one of the pillars of NPF, and we are looking forward to working with our current and new Centers.” 

“As a member of the oncology department at St. Francis, I am very proud of this achievement,” said Bhoomi Mehrotra, MD, chair of cancer services for Catholic Health and director of the Catholic Health Cancer Institute at St. Francis Hospital. “Our team maintains an unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional care to our patients, and this recognition is validation of their hard work.” 

For more information about pancreatic cancer care at Catholic Health, visit https://www.catholichealthli.org/pancreatic-cancer.